A Hero Died Today
by KaidaRhapsodos
Summary: A song fic based on the song 'Santa bring my soldier home' The song leads you through Aerith's letters, to Zacks final demise. Basicaly my version of what they may have been thinking at the time.


Oooh, aaay  
Santa have you seen my soldier?  
The one who wears my heart  
We're so far apart, ohhhh  
Santa have you seen my soldier?  
I'm bravin through the lonely nights  
Just getting by  
Livin prayer to prayer 

Aerith finished writing the eighty-fourth letter sighing.

She would not give up hope even though she had received no reply to any of her previous letters.

Zack had to be out there somewhere.

Late at night she imagined him lying next to her, he'd wrap his arms around her and hold her close.

In the morning tears would glide down her face.

By day Aerith soled her flowers. At night she would look to the heavens and pray for her hero to come home.

It's so hard to be apart this time of year  
The ones you love should be near  
Material things lose all their value  
Cuz all I want is you 

Snow was falling outside. White flakes draped everything in pure white, dancing in front of her window.

Was that a figure walking through the storm?

Aerith ran to the window.

All she could see were the swirling snowflakes and the endless blur of white.

She received many gifts from the people who bought her flowers.

A few people even proposed to her.

But her heart and mind were not there. They were searching for a man.

When Aerith looked up into the sky all she could see were his brilliant blue eyes.

When she looked into shop windows Aerith did not see her own reflection, she saw his.

Aerith could not look in the mirror without seeing the smile of angel and azure eyes.

Santa have you seen my soldier?  
Let him know that I miss him and love him so  
Santa bring my soldier home  
I need him here in my arms  
Cuz love's worth fighting for  
Santa bring him home

Santa bring him home  
Oh oh oh ohhh 

Aerith sent her eighty-fifth letter in the morning.

No reply from her last letter.

The days dragged on and on, still no reply, no sign.

Every day it was a struggle to get out of bed and face the dawn.

Every day her hope dwindled just a little.

Hope that one day Zack would return to her.

Life's not the same without my soldier  
Everytime we laughed,  
The comfort that we had  
He's the one who's been there for me all along  
He taught me to be strong enough  
When times are tough  
And keep the faith when I can't hold on 

The old church seemed empty, even the flowers had to struggle to bring a smile to her face.

Aerith could not shake the thoughts of him out of her head.

She had sent her eighty-sixth letter a few days ago.

As usual, no reply.

Aerith wished she could just hold him one more time.

A phone call. Anything to let her know he was all right.

But no matter what happened she had to stay strong for him. She had to hold on to the hope that some day he would return.

So she returned to her house and prayed once more.

It's so hard to be apart this time of year  
The ones you love should be near  
Material things lose all their value  
Cuz all I want is you 

It had been four years since Aerith had last seen zack.

Still she had not given up.

The eighty-seventh letter had been sent at the beginning of the week.

Aerith had tried to distract herself by buying a new dress.

This one was plain light pink with poppers down the front.

She wore a cropped red jacket over it and tied a black ribbon around her neck.

But changing her image was not going to get rid of the hole in her heart.

A few weeks later she sent her eighty-eighth letter.

There had been no reply from her last.

There was no reply to that either so she sent one more.

Her eighty-ninth.

Santa have you seen my soldier?  
Let him know that I miss him and love him so  
Santa bring my soldier home  
I need him here in my arms  
Cuz love's worth fighting for  
Santa bring him home 

Some where in a small village called Banora Zackary Fair found a crumpled piece of paper with this message;

_**Are you doing well?**_

_**Where are you?**_

_**It's been four years.**_

_**This will be the eighty-ninth letter I've written.**_

_**But I will not send out any more.**_

_**Zack.**_

_**The flowers are selling very well.**_

_**It makes everyone smile.**_

_**It's all thanks to you.**_

_**Aerith x**_

"Four years." He said in disbelief.

"**What do you mean by last?!"**

Zack looked up at the sky, as if it would give him the answers he sought.

"Aerith…wait for me." I need to tell you something.

_**I'm going **__**Home**__** to the place where I belong, **__**where your love has always been enough for me. **_

I need you here with me, I just hope you don't give up.

_**I'm running from you know I think you got me all wrong, **__**I don't regret this life I chose for me. **_

I may be arrogant and I may not have always been the best for you but I need to tell you, that I love you._  
__**But these places and these faces are getting old, **__**so I'm going home. **__**  
**_

The wind blows so cold  
Without your hand to hold  
It's haunting my mind  
Like the day we said goodbye  
There's a boy overseas  
Who's lonely just like me  
I'm waiting for the day  
My hero comes home to me 

"Honestly." The soldier shook his head. "Freedom sure is pricey."

_I wish I could tell you how I feel, but some thing tells me that this is my last stand._

"Never lose your dreams." _Aerith, I'm sorry._

"Also, no matter the situation, never let go of your pride as a SOLDIER!"

_This may be the end for me, but I'll wait for you, like you waited for me._

"**Irasshaimase!**"

_Aerith, this is for you._

Send my love  
Send my love  
Send my love love  
Send my love  
Send my love  
Send my love love  
Send my  
Send my (send my) love  
Send my love  
Send my love love  
Send my love  
Send my love  
(Send my love love  
Send my  
Send my love) 

In a church in sector five, rain started to pour down through a hole in the splintered roof.

Aerith looked up from tending to her flowers.

Something felt wrong.

The rain seemed to bring shadow into the usually right church.

Something was not right.

"Hm?"

Please, no.

_Zack?_

Standing, the young woman looked up at the falling rain.

She clasped her hands together and prayed.

Bowing her head Aerith prayed Zack to God that was all right.

Then, something flicked off.

"Huuh!"

Aerith's emareld eyes looked to the sky.

_Zack._

Santa have you seen my soldier?  
Let him know that I miss him and love him so  
Santa bring my soldier home  
I need him here in my arms  
Cuz love's worth fighting for  
Santa bring him home 

"For the, both of us,"

Zack knew he'd only have one chance to say this. Black fog was already forming at the edges of his vision.

"That's right, you're gonna. You're gonna, live. You'll be, my living legacy."

Zack managed to reach over and pick up his sword.

"My honour, my dreams,"

He held the sword up to his friend.

"They're yours now."

"I'm your living legacy." Cloud murmured.

Zack smiled.

_Yes._

With all his energy spent, Zack let his eyes drift shut.

_Embrace your dreams; if you want to be a hero, you need to have dreams. _

"Thank you. I won't forget." Cloud managed to stand, lifting the heavy sword with him.

"Good night."

With that he turned his back on his friend,

"Zack,"

And walked away.

Love love  
Send my love  
Send my love  
Send my love love  
Send my  
Send my (send my) love  
Send my love  
Send my love  
Send my love love  
Send my love  
Send my love  
Send my love love  
Send my  
Send my love

"_That girl, she said that the sky frightened her."_

Up above the clouds appeared to part, like the opening of a door.

"_That looks so, liberating."_

Zack was sure he could see a winged figure descend from the pearly white clouds.

"_Those wings, I want them too."_

Some one was reaching down for him,

_Angeal?_

He took hold of the gloved hand, and felt himself slowly float upwards.

_--------------_

"_If you see Aerith, say hi for me."_

_A single white feather floats gracefully down to earth._

"Hay, would you say I became a hero?" 


End file.
